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Gluten Free Vegan Lunch at Kaya's Kitchen in Belmar, NJ

Gluten Free Food Scoop ...

So here's the scoop ... I found an awesome gluten free, vegan restaurant in Belmar.

I picked up my favorite shopping buddy Hiedi and we were off to do some shopping, but first up, Starbucks, of course.  We had to take a quick selfie ... then it was off to Williams Sonoma in Sea Girt.  I love this store.  I didn't buy anything, but I definitely had fun looking.  I was going to buy Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free flour that Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando talks about all the time in her blog, but I didn't see the dairy free version, maybe next time.  

After shopping at a bunch of stores, we were hungry and decided to take a ride into Belmar.  

We went to Kaya's Kitchen on Main Street and I have been wanting to try this place for awhile, so it was so much fun to finally be able to take the time and enjoy a fabulous gluten free and dairy free meal.  We had a hard time find them because they are not actually on Main Street, but they are on 10th Avenue next to a restaurant called Matisse.

What a cute place and I loved the design on the wall.  The staff was so friendly and very helpful

There is a large menu with a lot of gluten free items.  Everything is vegan.  

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We ordered several items so we could take some home with us.  

First up, Vegan, gluten free French Onion Soup.  This tasted amazing.  It tasted so much like what I remembered.  The gluten free bread tasted really good too.  I loved this dish.

Heidi had the chili which she said was delicous!

Next up, mac and cheese and veggie stacks.  Heidi got a BLT which was not gluten free, but she said it was very good!  

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The macaroni and cheese was very good.  It did not taste at all like what I remembered, but I still liked it.  I felt like it needed steamed veggies mixed in with it or as a side dish.  That's why I had ordered the veggie stacks, but the taste of both didn't really go together.  Now the veggie stacks were absolutely delicous!  I would definitely get these items again, just not together.  I have a lot of left overs ...  

Unfortunately. I was not able to try Hiedi's dish because it had gluten, but she said that she loved it.  She had never eaten vegan bacon before and was amazed that it was not actually bacon.  

I love this place and can't wait to try it for dinner.  The food tastes fresh and the place is really clean and nicely decorated.  The staff is super friendly and very helpful.  The food is plated really nice and they have a of organic ingredients.  The menu selection is quite large, as is the gluten free section.  I love that they indicate gf on the menu for gluten free which makes ordering for this Gluten Free Jersey Girl super easy.  They do offer gluten free deserts which we didn't try, but maybe next time.   They have Papa Ganache cupcakes which are my favorite vegan gluten free cupcakes and is absolutely the best gluten free bakery in New Jersey.

We had a fun day and then drove around Belmar, Spring Lake and Manasquan looking for the next place to get the gluten free scoop!

We saw these adorable little guys sitting so peacefully in a car .. they were so cute that I had to take their picture!

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Gluten & Dairy Free Lemon Garlic Shrimp Zuchini Pasta

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Gluten free, dairy free, paleo

This recipe is so tasty and is perfect for shrimp, chicken or chickpeas if you want to keep it vegan. I was pleasantly surprised to find a big bag of wild caught shrimp in our local supermarket, so I wanted to come up with a recipe that was light, primarily plant based and would be a nice compliment to the taste of the shrimp. I hope you enjoy it!!


Lemon Garlic Shrimp Zucchini Pasta
Recipe by: Gluten Free Jersey Girl
Gluten free, dairy free, paleo 

Serves 1

Equipment Needed:  Spiralizer or Vegetable Peeler

Note: You can use a regular potato peeler and hand cut into spaghetti style strips for more of a thicker noodle.

Ingredients

2 Medium Zucchini spiralized
5-6 small to medium shrimp
1/2 cup of broccoli
1/4 cup shredded swiss chard or spinach
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning  **
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons earth balance
Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

Steam broccoli and shrimp
Spiralize Zuchini
Add zuccini to your pan and lightly cook just to soften the noodles. Be sure not to overcook your noodles, as they will become soggy if over cooked.
Add broccoli, shrimp, spices, lemon juice, earth balance, garlic and cover for 1 to 2 minutes.

Enjoy ...

**  I used Market Pantry Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend from Target 

Here's a quick video showing how we made it!



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Top 10 Gluten Free, Dairy Free Snacks to Bring When Traveling

Top 10 Snacks to Bring for Traveling

Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Traveling gluten free and dairy free can be quite challenging.  I have found that the best thing for me to do is to be very prepared!  I always pack a lot of extra snacks so I don't get stuck with nothing to eat, or having to eat unhealthy foods.  I prefer to eat as healthy as I can when I go away, but I will definitely always enjoy myself too.  I think it's all about balance, but if  I don't eat well on vacation, then I won't feel well on vacation!  After losing 100 lbs., (read about my weight loss here) I have learned that it can be so easy to fall back to old habits if I am not prepared.  Making sure I have foods that will nourish my body and make me feel well, definitely helps me to have a much better, more relaxing vacation.  

Here are some of my favorite snacks I bring with me while traveling.

Nut Butter Packets

One of my favorite things to bring are almond butter packets.  I love these because they are so easy to carry around and you can easily pick up some veggies or fruit and you don't even need a spoon.  You can eat right out of the package!  I found some different brands that have a lot of awesome flavors, so this trip I will be bringing a bunch of packets with me!  

Kale Chips

Kale chips are a great snack to eat when on a long car ride and plane ride.  They can be your meal too when you can't find anything else, and of course, they are very tasty and super healthy!

Coconut Chips

If you have not tried these yet, you are totally missing out.  Coconut chips come in all different flavors and are super tasty and very nutritous.  These are perfect to eat right out of the bag or bring them with you and add to a simple sample to dress it up and add in some nutrients.

Protein Bars

I always bring protein bars whenever I go anywhere.  That way if I cannot find something for lunch, I will eat my bar with a piece of fruit, and it's very filling.

Chia Squeeze Packets

Don't have time to make chia cereal?  These squeeze packets are perfect.  Just throw in your purse and go!  They taste delicious and are very filling.

Chia Seed Packets

These are perfect for an on the go breakfast.  Simply add your favorite non-dairy milk, some fruit and you've got a terrific, healthy and filling meal or snack.

Hemp Seed Packets

Hemp seeds are packed full of protein and I was so excited when I found the individual packets.  These are perfect for adding to your salads, your chia cereal or mixing in with some nuts for a healthy trail mix.  It's definitely a protein boost and if you have a blender, you can even add some water to them and make up some hemp milk.

Raw Crackers

Fresh Fruit

You can just never go wrong with fresh fruit.  My favorite fruit to bring is always the easiest, bananas, grapes, pre-cut apples and clementines.  I usually will combine with 1 of my nut butter packs for the perfect mini meal.

Baby Carrots and Hummus

I love to buy these adorable little baggies of pre-cut carrots and hummus packs.  They make another perfect mini meal or snack and because they are already packaged, they are so easy to just throw in your bag and go.  

When traveling by plane my number 1 tip is always package your food in plastic bags.  You will move through security a little bit faster and it makes it easier for them to quickly check your bags.  It's definitely the most important thing that I do when packing my food items. I also recommend packaging any of your other items as well, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, makeup, etc.  It definitely helps to make an easier time boarding the plane!  

Here's a quick video of what I packed for our trip to Disney World, Florida ...

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Easy Zucchini Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce

Easy Zucchini Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo

This is one of my favorite dishes to make and super easy.  It's the perfect meal to make when you need something fairly quick.

 I love how zucchini pasta (I like to call them zoodles) taste and look like regular pasta.  The best part is they are gluten free, dairy free and good for you!

This recipe is simple and can also be adjusted to be vegan.

Recipe:  Zucchini Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce

Recipe by:  Gluten Free Jersey Girl

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 Medium Zucchini

1 Jar of your favorite spagetti sauce (I used Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce)

1/2 cup shredded cauliflower

1/4 of white onion

1/2 clove of garlic, chopped

1 packaged turkey burger

Sea salt to taste

Equipment Needed:  Spiralizer or Vegetable Peeler

Note:  You can use a regular potato peeler and hand cut into spaghetti style strips for more of a thicker noodle.

Instructions:

Spiralize your zucchini

I like to warm them either in a dry frying pan for a few minutes or medium heat in the microwave for about 40 seconds, just so they are a little bit softer.  Zucchini has a lot of water, so be sure to drain after warming.  Do not overcook because the zoodles will get very soggy.

Place a bowl over your noodles so the heat will allow the zoodles to soften and then drain again.  

Cook onions, garlic and cauliflower in a little water until soft.  

Drain and then take your turkey burger and break it apart and cook in the same pan.

Note:  

For vegan, replace turkey burger with 1/4 cup of white beans.

Once cooked, add the onion, garlic and cauliflower mixture and cook to combine all the flavors together.  Add spaghetti sauce and cook everything together for a few minutes.  

Once everything is heated together, drain your zoodles one more time, then top with the bolognese sauce and ...  simply Enjoy ...

Coming soon:  Abba Paleo Bar Review and live tweeting and reviews right from Walt Disney World, Florida, Winter Park, Florida and Orlando ... 

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Cranberry Is The New Pumpkin .. Cranberry Tea Latte

Cranberry Is The New Pumpkin 

Cranberry Tea Latte Recipe

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Paleo, Vegetarian

I have been a huge Starbucks fan for a long time, especially the Pumpkin Latte's.  Unfortunately, once I had to remove dairy from diet, there went my Starbucks Pumpkin Latte's.  I have missed them and do make them dairy free at home from time to time.  Recently, I was at Barnes and Noble and saw this Harney and Sons Cranberry Autumn Tea and had to buy it!  

It has a nice mild cranberry taste to it and tastes delicious by itself.  I got to thinking what would it taste like with some added cranberry flavor, and decided to start playing around with some recipes.  I came up with this fantastic Cranberry Tea Latte.  The taste is absolutely amazing and guess what, it's super healthy!  Not only is it dairy free, but it's sugar free and only made with natural healthy ingredients.  Here you go, hope you like it!  

Recipe:  Cranberry Tea Latte

Recipe by:  Gluten Free Jersey Girl

Serving size 1-2

Ingredients:

1 or 2 Harney and Sons Cranberry Autumn Tea Bags, or any other cranberry flavored tea.

1/4 cup Organic Pure Cranberry Juice 

2 Tablespoons Date Lady Date Syrup or your favorite honey

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup almond milk

Dash of Cinnamon

Handful of cranberries (optional)

1/2 cup frothed almond milk 

(Here's my post on how to froth almond milk)

Note:  If you do not have a frother, heat the almond milk and then cover in a ball jar.  Shake it up for a bit or mix in a high speed blender to get a little frothy.  

Instructions

First, Brew your tea.  

I like to add a handful of cranberries to my tea maker and let sit.

Next, make the cranberry syrup.

Blend together 

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 cup pure cranberry juice

dash of cinnamon

2 Tablespoons of date syrup or honey

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Please note, I suggest blending together first, or it may get lumpy when heating.

Once mixed together, heat on low heat until it thickens to a syrupy texture.

Let sit for a few minutes.

Froth your almond milk

Take 1 Tablespoon of your syrup and add to a tea cup.

Add in your brewed tea

Top with your frothed almond milk

Then drizzle some of the syrup on top 

Store any extra syrup in the refrigerator.  Syrup will harden, simply warm before using again.

Enjoy ...

Coming soon:  Abba Paleo Bar Review and live tweeting and reviews right from Walt Disney World, Florida, Winter Park, Florida and Orlando ... 

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Gluten Free Dairy Free Protein Pumpkin Pancakes

Protein Pumpkin Pancakes with Pumpkin Syrup

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Vegetarian

Years ago, I used to take egg whites, protein powder and cinnamon and mix together and cook into a pancake.  I had no idea that other people were doing this and what a craze it would become.  I did it because at the time I was following the Atkins diet and was tired of just eggs all the time.  I used more eggs than protein powder back then, and I even made it into a pizza. The things you come up with when you are on a diet and miss all the foods you can't eat.  Well, as it turns out, many of those carbohydrates were actually making me sick anyway.  Through the years my recipe has changed a bit and there are a lot of recipes online now that you can search for all kinds of protein pancakes.
Here's my version.

Healthy Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

 Recipe by: Gluten Free Jersey Girl

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Paleo

Serves: 1 to 2

Ingredients: 

1/2 banana

1 Teaspoon vanilla

3 egg whites

1 Tablespoon Pure Pumpkin Puree

1/4 Cup Almond Milk

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

1/4 Teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 Tablespoon Protein Powder 

(I used Sunwarrior Raw Protein Powder)

1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour

1 Teaspoon Chia Seeds

** Note **  Batter will be thick.  You can thin with a little almond milk.

Instructions:

1. Blend all ingredients together in the blender. 

2.  Spray pan with cooking spray or use 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil .  You want to be sure the pan is fully covered, so your pancake does not stick.

3. Once pan is nice and hot, pour pancake batter and heat for a good 5 minutes or so, until bubbles form, and you can easily flip.  Gently go around all sides of your pancake with your spatula to be sure it will not stick when you flip.  Be sure not to have the heat too high so they do not burn.  

4.  Once each side of your pancake can easily go through the spatula, flip your pancake.
5. Cook the other side for about 2-3 minutes until it is done in the middle and remove from the pan.

6.  Repeat until all of your batter is gone.

I love to top my protein pancakes with fresh fruit, honey or coconut nectar.  

One of my favorite ways to top them is with fresh fruit, almond butter, coconut butter and a drizzle of coconut nectar.

Sticking with my pumpkin theme, 

I came up with a quick recipe for pumpkin syrup ... 

Pumpkin Syrup

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Pumpkin

2  to 3 Tablespoons honey, maple syrup or coconut nectar

3. 1 Tablespoon Almond Milk

4.  Dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice

5.  Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave

I have to say that I tried a sample of the pancake with a touch of vegan butter and drizzle of this syrup and the taste was absolutely amazing!  

You can store batter in the fridge for a day or two, however, the batter thickens very quickly, especially in the refrigerator, so I prefer to cook them all at once and then save them for a snack later.  I simply let them cool, then pack in a container in the refrigerator.  They make the perfect mid-afternoon snack with a spoonful of almond butter on top!  I love to make mini sandwiches out of them by spreading almond butter and sugar free jelly on them for the perfect lunch!  

  

Enjoy ...

Coming soon:  Abba Paleo Bar Review and live tweeting and reviews right from Walt Disney World, Florida, Winter Park, Florida and Orlando ... 

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The Cave' Paleo Eatery in Belmar, NJ

Today I found a neat little restaurant near me called The Cave' in Belmar, NJ.  It's located at 515 Sylvania Avenue in Belmar, NJ.  This place is so adorable!  I loved the design of the restaurant and the food is amazing.  The Cave' is a gluten free, dairy free, grain free restaurant and follows the paleo diet.  Being gluten and dairy free, this is just perfect for me!  How nice that I can eat anything I want on the menu.  The only dairy that they have is butter that is used in their paleo coffee, or as I call it, bullet proof coffee, and I was told that they will provide cream for anyone who wants it for their coffee.

Since I cannot have butter, I was not able to try the paleo coffee.  I opted for a cup of tea.  They have a variety of organic teas to choose from.  They also have iced tea and regular hot coffee.

First up, I chose their special soup of the day which was a cauliflower soup.  I love cauliflower and have not found a way to make a soup that tastes great.

Well, all I can say is this soup is delicious and tasted so creamy and was just so good!  I have not had a creamy non-dairy soup like this in years.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much it tasted like a baked potato soup!

My husband chose chicken vegetable soup!   He also had a burger (I forgot to take a picture) which comes on a bed of lettuce with very tasty sweet potatoes.  

My husband really enjoyed it! 

Next I had a delicious salad!  It was filled with baby spinach and kale, topped with mushrooms and a deliciously sweet Dijon Balsamic Dressing.  It tasted amazing! 

I loved it and will definitely be back!  I can't wait to try the Caveman's Breakfast!  

Pretty Tables ...

Lights made from egg baskets ... very cute!

This was a fun place to go and you can find something if you are vegan, paleo, gluten free or just want to eat a healthy plant based meal, or enjoy organic grass fed meats.   It has a little something for everyone.  

Oh yeah, and I cannot forget about the Mocha Brownie with Bacon.  Seriously - unbelievable!  Ok, well I usually prefer more of a raw food based dessert, but I have to say, this was too good to pass up!  

If you would like to follow them on facebook, click here! 

After we came home, it was off for a walk around the Quay with Davey, Mandy and Kevin to spend some time enjoying this incredible Jersey Shore Fall weather!  

Then, some shopping for Davey's Halloween costume.  

Unfortunately, he didn't find what he wanted, but we had fun looking!  

That's it for now!  Be sure to be on the lookout for my reviews of Abba Paleo Bars and live tweeting and reviews right fromWalt Disney World, Florida, Winter Park, Florida and Orlando ... coming soon!

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